“If you look at where we rank in so many categories, the middle of the pack is not satisfactory,” Colangelo said. “You have to separate yourself to be more than just competitive — you want to be the best.”

Don Cardon, the group’s president and CEO and director of the state Department of Commerce, said the authority will harness the power of collaboration between government officials, academia and top business leaders to advance the state’s economy and make Arizona more competitive on the global stage.

“This is a big deal,” he said. “This is about a plan that gets the governor actively involved in the business community.”

House Speaker Kirk Adams, R-Mesa, said those in public office must rely on the private sector to guide the state toward creating jobs.

“We have this incredible opportunity to establish a new economic vision for our state,” he said.